Hiya! This chapters really short, but I got writers block on whats gonna happen next so this'll have to do for now. Sorry! Thanks Mooncheese, xNancyx and () for reviewing me!! Weel anyway, hope you like this chapter, it took me a looong time to do so PLEASE review. You get, errr, Banoffee pie! Or Haagen dazs, in case you don't like Banoffee pie. Ok! Go read!

Chapter three

Strange but Sorted

Ali could hear the woman speaking to her and her brain reconnected.

"I'm Professor McGonagall," she was saying "It is Dumbledore's wish that you are sorted with the first years. He thinks this will draw attention away from the fact that you are different in any way." She sniffed, and Ali got the impression that she didn't agree with the Headmaster's decision. Neither did Ali.

"But Professor!" she cried. "Isn't it going to be even more obvious I'm different when I'm standing with a hundred first-years?!" How could Dumbledore do this to her?? She was going to be expected to stand with a load of first years who were all a head shorter than her and try to look normal? Had the Head finally gone mad? She could see the teacher agreed with her.

"It is the Headmaster's wish that you are sorted along with everyone else. I'm afraid there isn't much we can say to argue, Miss Coombes. I'm sorry."

Ali felt like crying as she walked through the entrance hall and off to a small classroom full of over-excited first years. A deathly silence came over them as McGonagall and Ali entered. Ali could not remember ever feeling so sub-conscious as she did just then. McGonagall gave them disapproving glances and they hastily looked away.

"When I tell you so, you will go through to the main hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. Your house will be very important during your time at Hogwarts as it will be a little bit like your home. You will have classes with your house, eat with your house and sleep in your house dormitory. In a minute we will go through to the next room where you will try on the sorting hat in front of the other students. When you are sorted, go and sit at your table. The houses are as follows; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

Silence followed this speech, and the first years exchanged nervous glances, but none as nervous as how Ali felt. She thought she might be about to pass out from sheer terror as McGonagall beckoned them through.

The Great Hall was magnificent. Candles glimmered on each wall and many more floated magically above the four long table where the students sat. On the immense ceiling a million stars twinkled and shone and the tables were lined with solid gold plates and cutlery. Ali barely noticed it. All her attentions were fixed on the ragged hat on the stool at the end of the hall.

A hush fell. The hat twitched slightly, before a large rip near the seam opened and the hat burst into song

"Oh I've sorted through new students for a thousand years or so,

Fully qualified to tell you in which house you ought to go.

Our founders once would decide where you all should be,

But now they're gone and hence they gave the sorting job to me.

I'll pick you for the house in which I'm sure you will belong,

If you listen you will hear the qualities listed in my song,

For Rowena and Godric, Salazaar and Helga

Always knew the best place to assure you would go far.

Old Slytherin would wish for those whose fathers blood is pure,

Whilst Ravenclaw chose all those whose intelligence was sure.

Now brave old Gryffindor got those with courage unsurpassed,

And Hufflepuff won people with love and loyalty steadfast.

So when you put me on and I see inside your mind

I'll take a look and tell you which qualities I do find

And while you're there remember, I'm never wrong and that,

I'm the best at doing this job, the famous Sorting Hat!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat bowed low to each of the four tables before becoming motionless again. Ali was pretty impressed by the display despite already having been told about it by her friends on the train. It wasn't often you saw singing, mind-reading hats.

By this time, however, the applause had died down and Professor McGonagall was peering through her glasses at the long list of new students to be sorted, and the nerves returned to Ali. What if they put her in Slytherin? Her parents had been after all, and her grandparents no doubt. The Blacks and the Lestrange's were two of the oldest pureblood wizarding families still in existence. Ali shivered at the thought of it.

Please she prayed silently Don't let me be put in Slytherin.

McGonagall was calling out names now. Appleton, Jack was the first to be sorted. After a short pause, the hat made it's decision

"RAVENCLAW!!" it proclaimed. The table nearest Aliothe cheered loudly.

Arley, Samuel also went to Ravenclaw, but Autshwitt, Dante became the first to be sorted into Slytherin. Ali's stomach got tighter as the names past.

Brooke, Elenor. Burnley, Steven. Cawson, Mandy.

Then Ali heard the name she was dreading

"Aliothe Coombes!" McGonagalls voice trilled. Ali could feel the eyes of everyone in the hall on her as she made the impossibly long journey towards the stool at the front. She could hear people muttering, although she couldn't catch what they were saying. She reached the stool and sat down, pulling the hat down over her eyes to block out the gawping students.

"well well" said a little voice in her ear, making her jump "well well well"

Well WHAT? Thought Ali. The hat chuckled.

"Well I just can't quite see where to put you. You're obviously very talented, even for your age. A good brain, anyone could see that. Brave too. Stand up for yourself. Fiercely loyal.You seem to feel the need to prove something to everyone, ambitious, are you? Yes, very ambitious. Good bloodlines. Perhaps you would do well in Slytherin? I believe that is where your ancestors were placed, hmm?"

"I'm not like my parents"

"Ohh, I see. Well, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw then, oh my I just don't know!" Ali was getting irritated. The best at this job? It couldn't even tell that Slytherin would most definitely be the worst place to put her. She telepathically snapped at it.

"Make your mind up! I thought you were the best at this job! The marvellous Sorting Hat and all that?" The hat didn't seem to think this comment deserved a response, it coughed in a dignified manner and muttered to itself.

"Yes well anyway, I suppose it'd better be- are you SURE you don't want Slytherin. It could be the one for you?

"NO!! IT ISN'T!!! SO JUST HURRY UP ALREADY!! Do you not think I have ENOUGH things to worry about without you putting me in crappy Slytherin?! YOU don't have all these problems. YOU ARE A HAT. And a pretty crap one at that. Dumbledore really should employ a better one. You're useless!" Ali was rather enjoying releasing stress on the not-so inanimate object. It was pretty much the only thing that being rude to would have no effect on the rest of her life. The hat, however, didn't seem used to being so openly insulted. It seemed temporarily speechless, then after muttering angrily made it's decision.

"REALLY there's no need to get so worked up about it. Impudent child! First years are much less work. Oh FINE, I suppose you'd better go to GRYFFINDOR!" Ali pulled the hat from over her eyes.

The table on the left was applauding loudly, whilst Ginny and Kelsey stood up and cheered. Ali grinned, unable to help herself. She went to sit with them, while Kelsey stuck her tongue out at Sorenna over on the Ravenclaw table and mouthed something that Ali guessed was rude, judging by Sorenna's look of mock outrage. Ginny leaned over and whispered to her as Everall, Thomas was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"What the hell was the hat saying to you? You were up there for hours, practically!" Ali grinned even wider.

"Oh. It just couldn't decide where to put me so I had a go at it for being useless. The usual, y'know

"You had a go at the Sorting Hat?!" Ginny sounded pretty amused "What did it say to that?"

"Well, it was a little bit offended, but it wanted to put me in Slytherin for heavens sake! I could hardly just sit there and watch my fate be horrifically sealed be a freakin' hat could I?"

The sorting seemed to have ended, the last few first years were now scuttling over to their new house tables. The headmaster had stood up to speak, his eyes glinting merrily behind his glasses. Almost instantly the noise level in the hall dwindled to nothing and Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"I will not keep you from this delicious feast for long, only long enough to say welcome back, and, to our new students, welcome. I hope this year will be a wonderful one for you all! Now, I appear to be keeping you from a feast! Tuck in everyone!"

Ali turned to see the golden plates and goblets in front of her brimming with drinks and nice things to eat. Eyes widening slightly, she turned to look at Kelsey. She grinned at her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Ali!"

oooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo

Ali didn't think she'd ever eaten so much in her life. She dreamily followed Ginny- who as a prefect had the onerous task of escorting the first years to Gryffindor tower- and Kelsey up several flights of stairs until they came to a dead end where a portrait of an extremely large woman in a medieval style dress.

"Chinese Fireball" said Ginny. The portrait swung back, revealing a small hole which led through, according to Kelsey, to Gryffindor common room. Tired, warm and content, she took in the rooms snug homeliness, the burning log fire and the cosy armchairs and sofas. The first-years were gasping in delight and wonder at the beautiful décor, while Ginny played shepherd, trying to round them all up and persuade them it would look exactly the same in the morning after they'd had a good nights sleep. Ali thought the same, she was absolutely exhausted after a day of total change, nerves and friend-making. Following Kelsey to the sixth year dormitories (too tired to fully appreciate her huge for-poster bed) she went to change. She had not thought about Malfoy or the girls for hours. Until she saw the note tucked carefully into the front pocket of her suitcase.

Watch your back, Blood traitor.

ooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo

The corridor was almost pitch black, only the dungeons weak candles spread their pitiful light over the scene that lay beneath. A tall, slim girl with fiery red hair and startlingly green eyes stood, pulled up to her full height, her chin held high and alert. Around her stood a ring of about ten girls, their wands held out in front of them. The red-haired one was hugely outnumbered with no chance to escape. Then one of the girls round the outside spoke, her voice full of malice and amusement, her dark heavily lidded eyes showing no flicker of mercy.

"Mudblood!" she spat "you seemed to think you could get the better of me? I told you it would all end in tears. Are you ready to die? Your parents weren't, you know, although they barely had time to beg for mercy. The Dark Lord wants you dead, Evans, and his wish is my command. He heard what you did to me, his most faithful servant, and he wants revenge. Think how pleased he will be when he discovers I have done it before him!" Her cruel laugh echoed round the dungeon walls. If the girl was intimidated, she did not show it. Every pore of her seemed to seethe disgust as she responded to the girls taunts.

"You call me filth, Black, yet it is you who needs nine others just to take me on. How is Voldemort these days? Still worshipping him are we? Does it feel good mercilessly killing innocent people? Do you get a kick out of it? You're pathetic, a weak coward just like your master!" The dark haired girl shrieked murderously.

"How dare you besmirch the name of my master on your filthy mudblood tongue! Crucio!!" The other witch collapsed her screams piercing through the darkness, twitching horribly. Their were shouts from the other end of the corridor, three boys appeared. The first, a tall, skinny boy with messy hair and hazel eyed cried out to the shuddering girl

"Lily!!"

Aliothe woke up, sweating and shuddering. The dream was but a blur in her mind, she vaguely remembered screaming and pain, so much pain. Then she remembered the night before. She knew without a doubt who had written the note. Malfoy. She had publicly humiliated him and betrayed her 'noble' bloodline to be sorted into Gryffindor. Was this what her time at Hogwarts would be like? Threats and hatred over things she had no control over? Nightmares and terror? If it were she'd be better off back with Susie as live prey for Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Out of the frying-pan and into the fire. She looked at her clock. 5.30. The rest of her dormitory were fast asleep, their breath steady. She lay down, trying to get back to sleep.